Jul. 24, 2013

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Written by

Rod Walker

@rwalker1906

Jimmy Johns of Brookhaven, a former Mr. Football, hopes to earn his degree at Alabama. / Rick Guy/The Clarion-Ledger

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Jimmy Johns was a leader. Then he became a follower.

Now, he’s leading again.

Johns, the former standout quarterback from Brookhaven, was at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium on Wednesday talking to the 12 members of The Clarion-Ledger’s 2013 Dandy Dozen who were in town for the annual Dandy Dozen photo shoot.

None of the 12 was quite old enough to remember that December night in 2004 when Johns threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 91 more yards in Brookhaven’s Class 4A state championship game victory over Clarksdale. The stadium was rocking that night as Johns did his thing.

This time, you could hear a pin drop as Johns warned them about the ups and downs of life.

He shared how he had gone from being named Mr. Football in 2004 to signing with Alabama to spending 13 months in jail for selling cocaine.

“That second night in prison is when I got a grasp of reality,” Johns told them. “I cried and cried and cried that night. Just because you were Mr. Football and the No. 1 player in the state and Dandy Dozen and this and that, it doesn’t mean anything. It made me realize that everything that (Alabama) coach (Nick) Saban said was true. Life is going to get tough. But you have to have perseverance. Fight through it. Fight through it.”

The players hung on every word.

“He told us to keep pushing because you are going to face adversity,” said Bassfield’s Alvin Moore. “My coach tells me that every Friday. When everybody says that, it must be real. So I learned to keep pushing through adversity and not make the same mistakes that he made.”

Said Lafayette’s D.K. Buford: “There are going to be adversities in life and we just have to learn how to deal with them. I didn’t know him, but I got to know him really well today.”

Every one of these kids should’ve known Johns. At least that’s what I would’ve guessed back in 2004. For those of us who saw his toughness and the way he almost single-handedly put Brookhaven on his shoulders and willed them to a state title that year, he looked like a surefire future NFLer.

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“But I became a follower,” Johns explained to the kids about how he got caught up into selling drugs.

Now his mission is simple. He wants to make sure they don’t fall into the same traps he did.

“Adversity is coming,” he warned. “Y’all are Dandy Dozen now, so y’all are going to be put on a pedestal.”

Johns’ talk was one of two motivational speeches the players heard Wednesday. Don Hinton, executive director of the Mississippi High School Activities Association, spoke first. He momentarily removed his MHSAA hat and went back to being “Coach Hinton,” giving a fiery locker room speech telling the players to be all they can be.

He asked the 12 players to raise both hands and reach as high as they could. Then he asked them to raise them again, but reach a little bit higher, explaining to them that they can always do more.

“Unrealized potential,” preached Hinton. “That’s what you guys should be reaching for now.”

Johns asked the players to raise their hands in his speech too. He simply wanted to know how many had aspirations of someday playing in the NFL. Twelve hands went up. Well, actually 13 hands. (“I’m raising both of my hands,” said Newton County’s Jamoral Graham, drawing laughter from everyone in the room.)

“It will be a miracle if all 12 of you get to the NFL,” Johns warned. “But just because you don’t make it, you don’t quit. You still have life. You still have bills.”

And as Johns reminded them, life goes on long after football.

Johns hasn’t quit. He was readmitted to Alabama and will begin taking classes in August. He has just eight classes left to earn his degree. He plans to graduate with honors.

“Football is a way out for some of y’all,” he said. “God has blessed each and every one of y’all with a talent. But hard work beats talent every time. As a leader, you take the lead. Football teaches you life. Life is tough. Who has the fight to keep fighting?”